Didn't he understand human nature and the confusion that would result from ambiguous scripture? For instance,
"He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life."
John 12:25
Couldn't there have been more detail and explanation or is that asking to much?
2006-10-03 05:29:02 · 29 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
God didn't write the bible we have, people did. Read a book called "Misquoting Jesus"by Bart Ehrman.
Judaism, ergo Christianity are the first book religions. Before that, people had to rely on personal conscious contact with God. The book religions enable priests to tell people who God is from their personal view, this way, people follow the priest, not God. Notice, the pope requires people to kneel and call him Holy Father. In the bible, there is a story about three men who refused to bow to a king, and were thrown in a furnace but not burned. There are words atrributed to Jesus that are similar, and one of the ten commandments specifically tells us to have no other gods before him. Now, whether the bible is correct or not doesn't matter. Inside I know that no man has authority to force me or con me into worshipping them. So, God is a livng God and he writes in my life today, I haven't tucked him on a shelf to be pulled out on sundays and bring with me to a building to give some guy money and hear him read it to me, then twist the words up for the right-wing agenda of the day. Get it?
2006-10-03 05:40:20 · answer #1 · answered by water boy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
All scriptures have some degree of ambiguity. I do not want to question any ones belief.It is widely known that five books of old testament were composed by Moses. Four Gospels of NewTestament were composed by the respective authors.So there is a human element involved.We seek guidance of elders and the learned when studying scriptures precisely for this reason. All these questions have been extensively debated some time or the other and guidance if sought will clarify and satisfy us in most cases.
2006-10-03 05:42:38 · answer #2 · answered by openpsychy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's easy to understand. John 12:25 means simply "Don't live for this world. Live for the next.".
The Bible isn't really that ambiguous but even in the early church misinterpetations were common as well as false doctrines.
The Bible is divided up into books of history (i.e.Genesis), eyewitness accounts (i.e. Matthew) ,letters (i.e. Galatians) and even poetry (i.e. Psalms). Misinterpetation is a fault of man but the Bible is quite clear if read plainly.
It says what it says. I recommend a good study Bible with cross referencing scriptures for clarity i prefer the Archaeology Study Bible NIV by Zonderman.
2006-10-03 05:44:18 · answer #3 · answered by sprydle 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jesus is in the business of dealing with us on an individual basis. While there are certainly universal truths in the Bible, it will afford those who believe Jesus with different answers or comfort at different times. This is because Jesus, like the Bible is alive and dynamic. It's also because the Bible is meant to minister to those who belong to God, sort of a family letter written so that only the family members will understand it.
If it baffles you, don't worry. It baffles a good many people including believers, but it always has it's intended effect.
Isaiah 55:11 (New International Version)
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
2006-10-03 05:50:39 · answer #4 · answered by Bruce 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's a very good question. Too many people think of God as a being who zapped up a book called the bible.
The bible was written by many people and many groups of people.
That's why we get several creation stories for example.
Different people have different ways of explaining God. Even Jesus had a different way of explaining God to the Pharisees and the people of that time.
When we read scripture (Jn. 12:25), we have to ask ourselves what does this mean to me? It also helps to understand what the author meant by what the author wrote.
2006-10-03 05:58:12 · answer #5 · answered by BETTY ROCKER 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it's likely asking too much. This is why the bible should have been translated more clearly & why people fall from thier belief in it.
Rationally it could be translated to mean that it's a blessing to die if you believe in God because then you'd be in his care & if you despise the life you've been given that you keep it as punishment.
Of course you have to have the faith in place BEFORE you read it & that shouldn't be necessary to interpret it. It just sets people up to fall off the faith wagon. I'd also note there are no allowances for human circumstances like mental illness.
OUT OF CURIOUSITY...how would you interpret that message? :)
2006-10-03 05:39:36 · answer #6 · answered by Ivyvine 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because I think you just answered your own question.
God didnt write the bible man with different perceptions of who god is, and what he spoke wrote it. This is why we will never know the answers of the universe, because in order to understand the answers we first must understand what the answer implys, and therfore already know what the answer is.
And for that matter how do we know that when the bible was written that all of the prophets wasnt tripping on acid?
I wish you well read conversations with god, and the history of god written by karen armstrong. And lost books of the bible
then it may make more sense to you
2006-10-03 05:36:47 · answer #7 · answered by fryedaddy 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Actually I think it's meaning is pretty clear within the context of the whole chapter. He was talking about the scribe's and pharisee who alway's wanted the best seat in the house and the most money and the most praise and to be greeted at the markets as if they were more than than people like the rest of us. Jesus is simply stating that those who prize things they get in this life will lose it all when they die because they have committed the sins of pride and vanity. Those who are not looking for self gain are to get much more when they get to heaven.
2006-10-03 05:49:11 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Bible is inspired by using God written in the path of the Holy Spirit. The e book of Isaiah replaced into discovered in the lifeless Sea Scrolls being dated around one hundred twenty five BC. they discovered it is ninety 5% % precise with the e book of Isaiah latest in our bibles as we communicate. The 5 % being variations in spelling. Then if guy have been to could been the only authors. Why could they desire to portray themselves in such a undesirable gentle? homicide, adultery, mendacity, stealing, betrayal. those have been the coolest adult males. Thallus a Greek author, corroborates the darkness on the day of Jesus' dying.
2016-10-18 10:14:09 · answer #9 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
God didn't write the Bible.
It was written by men, edited by other men, translated several times by other men and interpreted by just about everyone.
Whether God had any influence in that process is a matter of faith, not fact.
If God wrote the Bible then every word in every bible ever written would be identical. For example there is a rare version of the Bible called "the adulterers bible" because the word "not" has been left out of "thou shalt not commit adultery". Do you think God would have allowed that if He was writing it?
2006-10-03 05:30:34 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋